Hand sewing needle



April 3, 1956 v. osTERGAARD HAND SEWING NEEDLE Filed Oct. 24, 1952 W wg in 4, 5% ,wx M y uw 7% wm o/w ww 4 Z .M/ rvgy M N n Z wf/ J M fb Tm L@ Uwvwz A x f f /v M 4 United States Patent O 2,740,568 HAND SEWING NEEDLE Vermund Ustergaard, Tyler, Minn.

Application October 24, 1952, Serial No. 316,643

4 Claims. (Cl. 223-102) This invention relates to hand sewing needles. More particularly, it relates to hand sewing needles adapted to facilitate the insertion therethrough of a thread having a greater cross-section than the opening or eye in the needle.

It is a general object of my invention to provide a needle, the threading of which is facilitated through the unique construction of the head portion of the needle.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved needle which may be easily threaded with a thread of greater cross-sectional diameter than the normal width of the opening in the needle and which will positively engage the thread after it has been inserted` through the needle to preclude slipping of such a thread out of the needle while vthe needle is in use.

Another object is to provide a needle which when threaded can be passed through the materials being sewed with less pressure than has heretofore been known.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of one embodiment of my invention with the intermediate portions of the needle broken away;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along line 22 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of a second embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a third embodiment of my invention; and

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

One embodiment of my invention may include, as shown in Figs. l and 2, a needle indicated generally as N which is comprised of a substantially solid rigid metal shank 1l) having a head portion 11 which has an opening or eye 12 formed therethrough. As best shown in Fig. l, the opening 12 is an elongated slot extending longitudinally of the head portion and of the shank 10. The opening 12 is formed only through the head portion similarly to the manner in which the conventional hand sewing needle is formed. The needle N has a point 13 constructed similarly to the conventional hand sewing needle.

My invention lies in the unique construction of the head portion 11 of the needle N. The opening deiining portions 14 and 1S of the head portion 11 are formed of spring steel which is inherently flexible and resilient. Because of the exible and resilient nature of the material from which the opening dening portions 14 and 1S are formed, the head portion 11 is longitudinally compressible. This means that when pressure is applied to the end 16 of the needle, the opening 12 will be enlarged along a line extending transversely thereto so that a thread being of greater cross-sectional diameter than the normal width of such an opening 12 may be readily inserted through the opening 12. When the pressure is removed from the end 16, the resilient opening delining portions 14 and 15 will tend to return to their original position and will firmly engage the thread which has been passed therethrough. In this manner, positive assurance is provided that the thread will not slip through the open ing 12 and relative to the opening dening portions 14 and 15.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 3 and 4 also has a substantially solid shank 17 which has a head portion 1S formed of spring steel in the shape of a wire loop. It has an opening 19 which is defined by opening defining portions 20 and 21. This head portion 18 is also longitudinally compressible when pressure is applied to the end of the needle as at 23. When such pressure is applied, the opening 19 will be enlarged along a line extending transversely to its length to facilitate the insertion of a thread therethrough. When the pressure is released from the end 23, the opening delining portions 2li and 21 will return to their original shape and positively engage the thread which has been passed therethrough.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6 includes a substantially solid shank 2S which has a longitudinally compressible head portion 26 and an opening or eye 27 which is delined by opening defining portions 23 and 29. The opening defining portion 28 is split diagonally of its length as at 38 so that the opening 27 communicates with the exterior through this slit. This permits a thread to be inserted into the slit as at 31 and slid downwardly between the slit defining portions and enter the opening 27 at the point 32. To insert a thread, it need merely be looped and inserted in the slit at 31 and then drawn downwardly toward the point of the needle whereupon it will be drawn into the opening 27. After the looped thread has been drawn completely into the eye, the slit delining portions of the needle will close and the needle is ready for use. This needle may also be threaded in the conventional manner or by applying pressure to its upper end 33 as described in the threading of the embodiment shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3, 4. it' a thread having a greater cross sectional diameter than the width ol the opening 27 is desired to be inserted, the opening defina ing portions 28 and 29 will positively preclude the thread from slipping between it and the needle.

My invention has a number of advantages over a conventional hand sewing needle. Through thc use of a longitudinally compressible head portion as disclosed and claimed herein, it is possible to use less thread to accomplish a given sewing operation. The conventional man ner of sewing requires a substantially greater length of thread than need actually be used in the sewing operation, else the thread will be repeatedly drawn through the eye of the needle and rethreading will be required. When a needle embodying my invention is used, the thread need barely be drawn through the opening 12 or 19 of the needle, for the opening defining portions positively engage the thread and preclude its slipping out of the eye during the sewing operation. f

In addition, in view of the fact that there is only one instead of two lengths of thread required to perform a given sewing operation, the needle and thread may be drawn through the material being sewed more easily than has heretofore been possible with the conventional hand sewing needle.

It is obvious, of course, that the threading of a needle constructed in accordance with my invention is substantially a more simple and easy operation than has heretofore been possible with the conventional hand sewing needle. Elderly people having poor eyesight will find a needle constructed in accordance with my invention to be much simpler and much more easy to thread.

It should be noted that in view of the exible nature of the head portieri of my needle, this portion of the needle can yield or bend when it is drawn through the materials whose layers or fibers offer resistance at opposing angles. Because of this flexibility and yielding feature, a needle constructed in accordance with my invention can more easily be drawn through this material.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What l claim is:

l. In a hand sewing needle, a substantially solid elongated and rigid metal shank of small cross-sectional diameter being pointed at one end and having a readily longitudinally compressible head portion at its other end, a narrow elongated opening tapered at at least one of its ends and being formed through the head portion only and extending longitudinally of said shank, the opening defining portions of said head portion extending continuously around the opening, the entire opening dening portions being formed of a readily tlexible and resilient material to permit said head portion to be longitudinally compressed and thereby cause said opening to be ternporarily enlarged and admit a thread having a greater cross-sectional diameter than the normal width of said opening and to close said opening and positively engage such a thread after the latter has been so admitted through said opening to prevent relative slipping therebetween.

2. In a hand sewing needle, an elongated solid shank of small cross-sectional diameter' and having a head portion, a narrow elongated opening tapered at at least one of its ends and being formed through said head portion only and extending longitudinally of said shank, the opening dening sections of said head extending continuously and uninterruptedly around the opening and being made throughout of a readily exible and resilient material and being readily longitudinally compressible to permit said opening to be readily enlarged to facilitate the insertion therethrough of a thread having a greater crosssectional diameter than the normal width of said opening and to positively engage such a thread to prevent relative slipping therebetween when said head portion is no longer compressed.

3. In a hand sewing needle, a substantially solid elongated metal shank of small cross-sectional diameter and having a longitudinally compressible head portion, a

narrow elongated opening taperednatone of its ends and being formed through said head portion only and extending longitudinally of said shank, the opening defining sections of said head portion extending continuously and uninterruptedly around the opening and being thin in cross section and all being made of a readily exible and resilient material to permit said head portion to beV readily compressed longitudinally to thereby readily en? engage the thread and prevent relative slipping therebetween.

4. In a hand sewing needle, a substantially solid elon-` gated metal shank of small cross-sectiona1 diameter and having a longitudinally compressible head portion, a narrow elongated opening tapered at one of its ends and being formed through said head portion only and extending longitudinally of said shank, the entire opening dening sections of said head portion extending uninterruptedly around the opening and being made of a readily iiexible and resilient material to permit said head portion to be readily compressed longitudinally to there by readily enlarge said opening along a line transverse thereto in order to facilitate the passage therethrough of a thread greater in cross-sectional diameter than the normal width of said opening and to cause said opening to be returned to its original size and shape when said head portion is no longer longitudinally compressed to thereupon positively engage the thread and prevent relative slipping therebetween, one of the opening defining sections of said head portion being split diagonally of its length to facilitate the ready insertion of a thread there through.

References Cited in the tile of this patent Great Britain May 17, 1928 

